Tail Waggin’ Peanut Butter and Bacon Dog Treats Recipe

Bacon, bacon, bacon – Om nom nom! I’m a huge fan of bacon and so is Oscar. It’s one of the main loves we share (along with long daytime naps and chasing squirrels). And when you mix bacon with peanut butter – another of Oscar’s favorite things – you’ve got a recipe for great yumminess! That’s why this Tail Waggin’ Peanut Butter and Bacon Dog Treats Recipe will be a huge hit in your house.

Dogs go ‘nuts’ for peanut butter. See what we did there? Sure you do. And so do dogs when we bring peanut butter out. Whether you’re stuffing it in a toy or a lick mat or giving it to him by the spoonful as you share a jar (no judging)–it’s a favorite of dogs and of dog parents to give to their dogs. But just what about peanut butter turns dogs into crazies? And more? Why is it so good for them?

Not only does it hide medicine well and make toys so darned enticing to play with, it’s nutritionally well-rounded too. It offers great nutrients and fiber (important for good gut health) and some really lean protein and healthy fats. It’s a fabulous source of folic acid and dogs (and humans) rely on that for cell growth. Additionally, magnesium helps dogs metabolize B complex vitamins and peanut butter has that too. In essence, there’s a reason (other than its deliciousness) that scooping by the spoonful is a great idea.

The one thing you want to make sure of when using peanut butter in recipes is that you do NOT use peanut butters (or anything, really) that have xylitol as an ingredient. Xylitol is deadly for dogs and sometimes, peanut butters will have it added to help sweeten without the added calories of sugar.

And when it comes to bacon? Do we even need to tell you why dogs love bacon?

We didn’t think so.

Now, on to the most amazing treat recipe!

Makes 20-30 cookies

Ingredients:

2-3 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tbsp honey

2 cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour

1/4 cup ground flax

1 carrot, shredded

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, honey, egg, water, carrot and bacon and stir until well blended. Add flour, flax seed and baking powder to wet mixture to form dough.
3. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick.
4. Cut dough with cookie cutter and place treats 1 inch apart on a non-stick cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
6. Let cool on a rack.
7. See what kind of tricks your dog will do for this treat!

If you’ve tried out this recipe, please feel free to share your comments below. And if you’ve added a special ingredient to the mix, we want to hear about it too. Plus, you can share pictures of your Tail Waggin’ Peanut Butter and Bacon Dog Treats on our Facebook page.